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Yesterday we installed a gutter on the side of the goats’ house to catch rainwater. They were naturally curious about what this big, black tub was, not to mention the gutter itself. Here’s a video and some pictures.

Here’s Sky trying to figure out why this thing isn’t petting her back and why she can’t seem to eat it. She’s wondering what good is it?

I started this blog a little over a year ago, mostly as a way for me to journal the trials and tribulations of moving up here from New Jersey. It was my little space to release the thoughts rattling around in my brain and give me some sanity. When I first did it, no one read it, nor did I care. Now – a few days over a year later, I have almost 4,000 hits and it astounds me. I still do this for my own sanity, but also to keep friends and family apprised of what transpires up here with our gang on the hill. A year has made a difference in a lot of ways – the boys have grown much bigger, taller and stronger and I have become accustomed to a much more simple way of life. I must say that I am happy, this was a good choice. The boys seem happy and despite their occasional teenage grumbling (which would happen wherever we lived) I think that they truly love it here. That alone makes it all worthwhile. We were discussing this morning, that we didn’t imagine in our wildest dreams being parents to 21 chickens and 3 fainting goats, but now….I can’t imagine not having them. (The White Dog, mind you I can still do without – I would be more than happy to train Phoenix the Goat to take over for her). Still….it is hard to believe that I have been blogging for a year. It seems such a normal part of my life that I honestly can’t remember what it was like before it. I feel compelled to write something every day….which is good– for me and for you.

That seemed to be what the goats were saying. The goats were on the porch today and would have been quite happy to come inside the house if we let them. Skye has an affinity to climbing as you can tell. She also decided that she was quite comfortable hanging out on the loveseat with Tom.

The goats are a happy bunch although we have not seen much out and out fainting. Phoenix, the littlest and the male, has had his legs stiffen up quite a bit and did fall over once but they are a lot harder to startle than one would imagine.

It was nice to know when we let them out yesterday that none of them are ready to bolt and they are all quite happy to hang around and munch on the leaves, both fallen and still on the trees as this photo shows. Apple leaves are the favorite or maybe that is just because that is what we have given them the most.

Here is a picture of the newest members to our family. Aren’t they sweet?

The newest additions

They are (heads from left to right) Creme, Sky Blue and Phoenix. They are fainting goats that we bought from Maria at 4 Footers Homestead. They are just so adorable and have provided much amusement and entertainment for our boys as you can see by the photo below. Tim just pulled up a chair and watched them for a solid 3 hours yesterday…… who needs XBox?

I am excited since I have found a fainting goat connection in Vermont. www.vtpaws.com/4_footers_homestead.htm is the website for 4 Footers Homestead which is the only fainting goat farm in Vermont. We are in the process of arranging a trip up to the farm to check out the farm and goat set up and possibly make arrangements to purchase a couple of their kids when they are born in April or May. Yippy! It was looking pretty bleak since most fainting goat farms are so very far away from Vermont and not feasible to get to or get kids from them. As for my real kids, the human kind, the youngest of whom is quite ill with the bug that has also taken down my husband and given me more than a couple nights of less than good sleep. Hopefully it remains contained and the others don’t come down with it.As for the chickens, well, they are still slacking. Easter has come and gone and sadly, no eggs. I thought for sure, we might be surprised Easter morning, but no such luck. They have let us down. Slacker chickens……